Thumb-stamp



W. A. SMITH.

THUMB STAMP.

(No Model.)

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VILLIAM AUGUSTUS SMITH, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

THUMB STAM P.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 446,540, dated February 17, 1891.

Application filed September 11, 1890. fierial No. 364,692. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern..-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM Anccsrus SMITH, of the city and county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful Thumb-Stamp, of which the following is a true and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to the construction of a device for stamping or marking letters or other articles, and which is adapted to be fastened to the thumb or one of the fingers, so that each letter, forinstance, will be stamped as it is handled by the party provided with the device, which, as it is particularly adapted to be fastened to the thumb, I call a thumbstamp.

In its elementary form my device consists, essentially, in a plate curved to fit on the ball of the thumb or a finger and having on its face a stamp or type to give the desired marking and on its back arms extending backward to embrace the thumb or finger and hold the stamp thereto, so that it will move therewith, like a glove-finger or rin Prefera-blylconstruet the device so as to embrace inking devices and other convenient attachments, as shown in the drawings, and the various novel features of which to be covered by Letters Patent are clearly set forth in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of the thumb-stamp attached to the band; Fig. 2, an enlarged perspective view of the device; Fig. 3, a longitudinal cross-section on the line 1 2 of Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 a crosssection showing a modification of the device.

A is a plate formed to fit on the ball of the thumb and having backwardly-projecting arms, as H II, adapted to embrace the thumb and hold the plate thereto. The arms II can of course be united, but preferably are independent, as shown, and the plate can be of any desired material, but for use in its best form should be made of sheet metal.

To the front of plate A, I attach, directly or indirectly, a stamp or type F. Thus in Fig. 4 the type is secured directly to and on the face of the plate, while in Fig. 2 it is shown as secured toa flexible plate G and projecting through a recess 0r orifice a, formed in plate A, said plate G being, for instance, of leather, and its portion g, to which the stamp is secured, extending over the recess a. This construction enables the thumb to press directly against the type or stamp and gives a better impression;

The type or stamp can be inked on a pad or in any convenient way; but preferably I employ an ink-ribbon E, secured to rolls C C, which rolls are journaled in bearings B B, doc, at each end of the plate A, E and E repre senting the coils of ribbon on each roller, and c c the fingerwheel or milled handle for turning the rolls, and thus moving the ribbon, which passes, as shown, over the face of the stamp F. The roll 0, which lies at the back of the plate, is at a lower level than the front roll, which is thus elevated to be out of the way of the letter to be stamped.

D is a plate secured at its lateral edges to the face of plate A and having a recess (Z formed in it to permit the stamp F to pass beyond it. This plate is conveniently of leather, and the ribbon E passes-between it and the plate A and in them is protected.

It will at once be seen that the th u nib-stain p, being adjusted, as shown in Fig. 1, will be in position to grasp a letter between its type or stamp F and the forefinger and make a mark upon it by means of the ink-ribbon. A slight turn of one roll 0 brings a new part of the ribbon over the stamp whenever desired.

My device is especially designed for use in post-offices, each employ engaged in casing letters, for instance, having one, so that each letter passing through his hands will be marked by his distinguishing-mark, and thus errors easily brought home to the one making them.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a thumbstamp substantially as dcscribed, the combination of the plate A with backwardly-extending independent or unconnected sheet-metal plates II II, adapted to extend over the thumb and hold the plate to it.

A thumb -stamp consisting of a plate adapted to rest upon the ball of the thumb and having means, as described, for securing it to the thumb, in combination with a stamp F, secured directly or indirectly to the plate, so as to project beneath its face, ribbon-rolls, as C C, journaled at the ends of the plate, one lying beneath the thumb at the back of the plate and the other lying at the front end of the plate and at a higher level than the back roll, and an inking-ribbon secured upon said rolls and extending over the face of the stamp F, all substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. A thumb stamp consisting of a plate adapted to rest upon the ball of the thumb andhaving means, as described, for securing it to the thumb, in combination With a stamp F, secured directly or indirectly to the plate, so as to project beneath its face, ribbon-rolls, as O C, journaled at the ends of the plate, a protecting-plate D, secured to the lateral edges of the main plate and having a recess, as d, formed in it, through which the stamp extends, and an ink-ribbon secured to said rolls and passing between the main plate and the plate D and over the face of the stamp, all

substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4. A thumb-stamp consisting of a plate A, adapted to rest upon the ball of the thumb and having means, as described, to secure it to the thumb, said plate being recessed, as at a. in combination with a flexible plate G, having a portion g extending over recess a, a protecting-plate D, recessed at d to correspond with plate A, said protecting-plate being secured to the lateral edges of plate A, ribbon-rolls G C, secured to the ends of plate A, a stamp F, secured to flexible plate G at g and extending through recesses a and d, and an ink-ribbon F, secured to rolls C and extending between plates A and D and over stamp F, all substantially as and for the purpose specified.

WM. AUGUSTUS SMITH. \Vitnesses:

LEWIS R. DICK, Framers T. CHAMBERS. 

